Curtain stretcher



Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES PAT T QFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to curtain stretchers and more particularly to a novel curtain stretcher of the wood frame type having pluralities of pins thereon for engaging with the marginal edges of a curtain while the same is being stretched.

An object of the invention is to provide an adjustable curtain stretcher of the type, in which all the pin bearing surfaces will have intercommunicating planes. In devices of the type now in use, one or more corners of the stretcher do not have the pin bearing surfaces on aligned planes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bridge device which will align the planes at a plane break in the curtain stretcher.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in

n which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a curtain stretcher embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the combination bridge and clamp.

of two permanent end rails l l and [2, with their respective easel type supports l3 and I4. Rails II and l2 are connected at the top by the upper rails l5 and I6, which latter are held together by the hinge connection l'l. Rail II is joined to rail l5 by means of the pivoting corner joint l8, and rail I6 is similarly connected with the end rail l2 by means of the corner joint l9.

A lower rail 20 is comprised of two rails 2| and 22, foldable against each other by means of the hinge 23, and capable of fixed positioning on the end rails II and I 2', by setting the attached end clamps 24 and 25.

A spreader or brace rail 26 is provided to prevent inward bending of the upper and lower rail assemblies.

An adjustable end rail 21 has a screw clamp '28 at the upper end thereof, and may be engaged in set relation with the lower rail 20 by interengaging the bridge clamp 29 which is comprised of a plate 30 having a laterally projecting portion, which has longitudinal bends at 32 and 33 thereof to match its contour with that of the outward face of rail 21. The plate 30 has an extension 34, having thereon an inwardly directed flange 35, adapted to grip the lower outer edge 36 of the bottom rail 20. To strengthen the plate 30 a longitudinal embossment 31 is formed in the top thereof, and the plate itself is bent so that the extending portion 34 is level with the top surface 38 of the bottom rail 20.

A bolt 39, is anchored and freely turnable in the embossed portion 31, and has at the outer end thereof a wing nut All.

A C-clamp 4| is threadedly engaged at 42 with the bolt 39 and is adapted to grip with its opposite portion 43, the back of the adjustable end rail 21.

The end bar II, the top and bottom bars l5, l8, 2| and 22, and the adjustable end bar 21 are provided with a depressed inner margin bearing a plurality of pins 41. The portion "is narrow enough to lie against the rail 21 inwardly of the pins 45.

In use, the various bars are set to a size approximating that of the curtain to be stretched, and the plate or bridge 30 is connected to the adjustable end rail 21 and the bottom rail 20 at their points of intersection. It will be seen that the curtain may be stretched entirely about the frame on pins based on structures in interconnecting planes, eliminating the corner break found .in conventional curtain stretchers of the type.

It will be understood that the device is capable of various modifications in structure and design, without departing from the spirit of the invention, within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

In a device of the class described, adjustable rails having pin-bearing surfaces for stretching curtains thereon, a bridge for interconnecting the pin-bearing surfaces of rails intersecting in separate planes, the lower end of said bridge formed to engage in the rabbet of the rail it overlies, and a flange at the upper end of the bridge extending downwardly to engage an edge of the transverse intersecting rail, a bolt anchored in the upper end of the bridge and extending upwardly therefrom, the said bolt having a thread thereon, a wing handle on the outer end of the bolt for turning the latter and a C clamp 

